Kiltwalk Dundee - prep 2 and 3

 

   Somewhere between Stranraer and Cairnryan

Our walking preparation for Kiltwalk Dundee in August continues and this time with some wandering out west. The man and I stopped off in Dumfries and Galloway on our way back from friends and family time in Yorkshire and whilst he looked at boats (SkiffieWorlds - see here) I dragged myself along the coast a bit on Monday morning. It was just me as daughter was working back in Dundee. I didn't have any maps but you can see the endpoint clearly on the other side of the Loch so I quickly screenshotted some instructions just in case and set off after breakfast.

It was a very windy day - so windy that the boating was cancelled for the day, filling the cafés of Stranraer with a positive rainbow of sporty hoodies and people looking at weather forecasts (the event lasts a week and I'm pleased to report that the weather was more cooperative from Tuesday onwards). People of all ages enjoy coastal rowing in St Ayles skiffs (it's huge in Scotland - read about the type of boats here) and so it was a mixed crowd and a great selection of other events put on by the organisers. On the Sunday night we had already nipped down to see the music and bar (and the views):

View from the bar, Sun evening

View from Stranraer beach, Sun evening

But back to walking. On Monday morning I walked along the edge of Loch Ryan towards Cairnryan and could see (and feel) why there was no rowing that day. The winds were quite fierce and the waves were crashing against the end of the Loch.

It is a beautiful part of the world overall but like a lot of coastal places it has its share of empty buildings. A new Water Sports Hub is in development so maybe old sites like this one that I passed at the end of the Loch will get new life before too long:

A lot of the walk went along the beach:

Looking back towards Stranraer

And then, once you're past the caravan park, the signs send you off into very green fields:

I didn't see any other walkers the whole way but I did pass some scaredy sheep:

And a whole lotta swans (according to sources a group of swans on water can be a bevy, a bank, a herd or a flock). I'm not a fan of any bird up close that is pigeon-size or bigger so meeting them at this distance was more than enough:

The route I took is meant to be part of a path network (Loch Ryan Coastal Path, part of the Mull of Galloway Trail) but it's pretty unkempt in places and I did wish I'd brought a machete at times. I had also failed to spot the bright red warning about a damaged bridge on page 1 of the online guide:

They were not wrong - one of the little foot bridges is damaged but luckily someone had hooked some branches to climb along. I was very glad at this point that I had not dragged the daughter along this route. I have a bit of a history with the family of setting off on 'short walks' that end up being daylong adventures ("it's just round the corner", "not far now" etc.) so as I awkwardly clambered about, was scratched and stung by nettles and had a few investigations ("where is the path?", "will I have to climb over the ferry port fence?") I was glad it was just me on this little hike (about 5.5 miles).

Eventually I did get to the ferry port (luckily no high fence climbing involved) but I didn't fancy returning by the same route so what to do? 

Cairnryan ferry port

Google said there wasn't a bus for 2 hours but luckily the 11.17 was about 10 mins late so I managed to catch it back. It's always slightly humiliating when the bus manages to do in the flash of an eye what took you most of the morning but there we go, the wonders of the modern world.

The next day the rowing finally got started (and it's still going, last race about teatime on Sat 12th July). We watched some races and enjoyed the Wimbledon-style screens on the hill and the great atmosphere. Teams were mainly from Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands and a few from England but some came from further afield too. 

SkiffieWorlds on Day 1

Road up the coast from Stranraer to Ayr

After that we headed back up the road to Dundee. It has been very hot here the last few days and daughter and I did an afternoon walk in Dundee yesterday and baked (it was too hot for photos, we did 4.5 miles or so). We now have a bluetooth splitter so can listen to the same music without inflicting it on anyone else and incorporate jazzhands and elaborate dance moves into our walk. So if you see 2 women on a red-faced silent disco around town that's us. We are over halfway to our target of £1000 for our Kiltwalk now so if you want to sponsor us there is still time - link here. Just about a month to go till the big day...

Kiltwalk Dundee - prep 1

Broughty Ferry beach

It's been some time since I was active in this space. True to form, whilst some friends are starting to retire I am just about getting going with something like paid work (quite a lot of it, long hours, many night shifts). This means being indoors and/or asleep far too much so for this and other reasons the wonderful daughter and I are aiming to complete the Dundee Kiltwalk in mid August. Some of you outwith Scotland might be wondering what the hell a Kiltwalk is (Kiltwalks are a set of annual long fundraising walks at various Scottish locations, first one back in 2016). As you might imagine, lots of people do wear kilts to take part but I don't think I will be one of those (I might manage a tartan scarf). Last year we just happened to be in town when the Dundee one was finishing and it was a great atmosphere. This year we are taking part in the Mighty Stride part of the Dundee Kiltwalk which is 20 miles (there is also a Wee Wander which is 4 miles). We are raising money for the Turner Syndrome Support Society and our fundraising page is here. I have posted some of today's pics elsewhere already but I thought I'd stick them up here as a record as well. 

Because I'm not as walking fit as I have been (no dog any more you see...) I have been getting some practice in. My first stretch was a version of the Wee Wander (Dundee to Broughty Ferry, the Wee Wander in reverse in fact). It was a boiling hot day earlier in June and I rediscovered the joy of a sweaty rucksack sticking to your back but it was beautiful all the same. I ended up at Broughty Ferry beach (see pic at top of post) and along the way I saw this view (I never get tired of the Tay):

Looking from Broughty Ferry towards Tayport

Then last weekend I decided it was time to push a bit harder. On another boiling hot day I got dropped at Dundee Sailing and Rowing Club by him outdoors and I walked part of the Dundee Green Circular (more usually a bike route). I walked this:

It took a good few hours and I did about 12 miles (I don't wear any kind of clever watch or anything that counts my steps and all that - quite enough technology in my life already). I've been meaning to do the trip along the Dighty Burn for years but finally managed to do this section. Some views along the way were:

Heading towards Broughty Ferry once again

Swans near Monifieth

The Seven Arches Viaduct, Balmossie/Monifieth

Heron mural near the old Michelin factory

Mosaics on bridge at Drumgeith Park

I got a bus home, a shower, a collapse and then back to the Ferry for some lovely music in the evening, courtesy of the band Outliers and local promoters Hypercoaster Music. The album Outliers is one of my favourites of the past year or so - a good one for late nights, can't-sleep-nights and early mornings. And I'll close this post out with one of their songs Salvage, written about artist Helen Denerley: